


Finding Sanctuary

by orphan_account



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-21 07:31:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3683478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lacrima came a long way to get help from the Inquisition, but will they give it to her so easily?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Hope

**Author's Note:**

> My Inquisitor is based off of the lovely Airy's Luthian Lavellan. http://archiveofourown.org/users/hn209486/pseuds/Airy

In the distance she saw it: her sanctuary, safety amid mountains. Despite her exhaustion her pace picked up. She was so near she could almost touch the stone walls, and the thought terrified her. She couldn't help but become more cautious as she approached the fortress, expecting the worst to happen in the moments just before she got there. But her arrival was not the problem.

Upon entering she told a guard she wished to speak with the Inquisitor and she was led to a throne room. There were whispering voices, talking about her, about the Inquisitor. A dwarf sat in the corner, examining her in her hood. His shirt was open to reveal chest hair, and he seemed to be fiddling with a crossbow.

Someone told her the Inquisitor would see her in a few minutes, she didn't take much notice of who it was. She took the time to examine her surroundings. It was a large room, but it was in rough shape. Still, the throne sat majestically on it's platform, staring her down.

She turned as she sensed something odd approaching. A spirit, just like her, walked in wearing a big hat. They stared at one another, her heart racing in anticipation. It was true. The Inquisition had helped a compassion spirit. She could be saved.

Footsteps clicked on the stone floor behind her, and she turned to face the elven Inquisitor as he sat in his throne.

“You wish to speak with me?” his voice was commanding and strong, but she sensed an uncertainty under every word. She had expected him to wear battle armour and speak wit a certainty and strength that rattled her bones, but what she had found was the complete opposite. Still, she was asking for his help. She had spent enough time around gossiping nobles to know that she had to be careful in a situation like this.

“Yes. I need your help-” she started in her quiet voice, very unused to talking, it came out even more shaky than she had intended.

“Perhaps if you showed us your face...” A bald elf interrupted from beside the throne. She almost hadn't noticed him. He was strange. She couldn't read his thoughts, and his stare made her feel vulnerable, like he knew what she was already.

Nevertheless, she did what he asked. She had to comply, this was her only chance at freedom. Removing her hood, she looked at the Inquisitor steadily, trying to read him. The room was silent as everyone's thoughts raced at her appearance. It made it hard to focus on the Inquisitor's thoughts.

“Are you...Qunari?” the Inquisitior asked her. The long curled horns like a ram's that sprouted from her head were no doubt confusing, even the bald elf seemed taken aback by them.

“I'm...” she sighed. “It's a bit complicated. But in short I am a compassion demon.” she said.

“There is no such thing as a 'compassion demon.'” the bald elf stated, quirking an eyebrow and further scrutinizing her.

“No, I suppose I'm one of a kind.” she said with a shy smile, playing with her hands. When no-one spoke she realized further explanation was required. “I...I was poorly bound by a Tevinter mage. This made my horns stay even though I'm in this human body. That's actually-”

“And your tattoos?” the bald elf spoke up again, causing a glare from the Inquisitor.

“Yes. They're red lyrium. I manage to contain them.” Lacrima said softly, looking away. This interrogation was worrying her more and more. They seemed much more concerned about what she was than how they could help her. Not to mention a crowd was starting to form, ogling at her like she was an exotic pet of some sort.

“What is it that you came to ask?” The Inquisitor said, silencing his bald companion as he opened his mouth to ask another question.

“I heard you helped a compassion spirit.” Lacrima's red eyes flickered to the spirit watching her from the shadows, then back at the Inquisitor. “Can you actually prevent binding by others? Can you help me?” The Inquisitor shared a look with the bald elf.

“It's hard to say for certain. I could look into it. Although there is a high probability we can't help you.” the bald elf said. Panic spread through her. They would hardly try, they would abandon her. She would be left out in the wilderness again hoping she didn't run into Him or loose control of herself.

“Please, he's after me, the mage who bound me,” she said in a desperate attempt to gain their sympathy. When nothing changed in the bald elf's features she changed tactics. “When a spirit is bound they become a demon. I escaped before I could become that, but there is a wrath demon inside me, that I have contained. If you do not help me, if I can't be in a controlled environment, what if I can't contain it anymore? Where do you suppose I'll be when I change? A field somewhere? Or Perhaps a village?” she said, her red eyes glowing slightly.

The crowd had grown behind her and some audible gasps were heard, followed by murmurs. She was desperate, and frightened, and those two emotions had turned into anger when they had nowhere else to go. So like a cornered animal fighting for the last scrap of meet, she stood glaring at the Inquisitor and his companions.

“Is that a threat?” The Inquisitor asked stonily. He was afraid of her, although he wasn't showing it. She didn't want people to fear her. She wanted to help. She calmed down, her eyes dimming and she looked at the ground in shame.

“No. It was a warning. I fear myself more than you do.” she said softly. She felt so many eyes on her, but most harshly were those of the Inquisitor. After a hearty silence he finally answered.

“You will stay here. You will sleep in a locked room at night. One of my guards will escort you around while you are here. You are not to leave, understood?” he said, although she could feel his uncertainty and fear strongly.

Lacrima nodded, smiling gratefully and giving the Inquisitor a small bow. She was safe now, at least. She was possibly even more safe as a prisoner than she would be as a guest. Although prisoner was possibly too strict a word, considering she had yet to break any laws. She knew how dangerous she could be better than anyone else, though. She was glad she was being monitored.

“May I go anywhere in Skyhold?” Lacrima asked as the Inquisitor rose from his throne.

“Yes, sure. As long as you're escorted.” he said, waving her off. Lacrima smiled at the Inquisitor's generosity.

As everyone filed out, Lacrima approached the other compassion spirit.

“They are all afraid of you now.” he said.

“They would have been anyway. They needed to know. This way everyone will be safer.” she said. “I am Lacrima.”

“I am Cole.” he responded. “I've haven't seen another like me in a very long time.”

“Yes...I feel as if we're bonded for just that reason. Like brother and sister, we have the same origins.” Lacrima said. A guard approached Lacrima before Cole could respond.

“I'll show you to your room.” he grumbled.

“Yes. Thank you.” she followed the guard towards a door. “Goodbye, Cole.” she said over her shoulder as she was guided to her cell. She did not hear a response.

The prison was dark, and full of sadness. Mortals generally didn't like being caged. She wasn't all that fond of it either. Still, it didn't matter all that much as soon as she met with her bed. Her exhaustion caught up with her and she was soon fast asleep.

 

She woke up later to a clang against her cell bars. Her eyes slowly cracked open and she looked at the man staring at her through the cage.

“Ah look. The big scary creature awakens.” The man said sarcasticly making his curled moustache curl up even more with a smirk. “Hard to see why all of Skyhold is whispering about you terrorizing the Inquisitor.”

“Hello.” Lacrima said. “You're a Tevinter.”

“Am I? I hadn't noticed.” he said. “And you're a demon, from what I've heard.”

“Yes.” she answered, getting up. “You don't seem like a bad Tevinter.” she tilted her head at him in confusion as she approached the bars to her cell. He took a step back from her.

“The other Tevinters would argue otherwise.” he said, folding his arms. “You've been asleep for two days. The Inquisitor sent me down to check on you.”

“Oh. Yes, I was very tired...” she said softly. “The Inquisitor sent you...as a joke?”

“Ah yes. I forgot you could get inside my mind.”

“What do they call you?” she asked, looking at his face, since his eyes were avoiding her.

“Dorian Pavus. You?” He said with a smirk.

“Lacrima.”

“Do you need anything, Lacrima?” Dorian asked, finally glancing at her. He didn't truly care. He wanted to leave, he was uncomfortable around her. She took a small step back, fiddling with her hands again. She needed people in Skyhold to like her, if only to let her stay.

“Perhaps something to do. Do you have any books?” she asked, and by the way he suddenly perked up she could assume the answer was yes.

“What sort of books are you looking for?” The way he said it was almost wary, like a test. He was wary of her because she could read his thoughts, and somehow that idea calmed her. At least he was not afraid of her entire being. That was more difficult to work with.

“Well...I suppose non-fiction. I want to learn about clothing through the ages in different cultures. Maybe I could sew a dress.” she said excitedly. Dorian motioned for someone and a guard appeared and let her out of her cage.

“I think we can manage that. Come with me.” he said with a grin.

 

The library was magnificent. She took some time getting to know it before she picked anything, asking Dorian about where things were and how she could find everything. She finally picked a history book and sat down with it.

“So you came here from Tevinter?” Dorian asked, scanning his bookshelves. Lacrima nodded and hummed a confirmation, smiling at an illustration of a past Empress's coronation gown in the book. “You're dressed exceptionally well for someone who had been travelling so much.” he said. She looked up from her book, but he did not turn to her.

She knew what he was really asking. She had spent enough time in high society in Tevinter to know why he asked questions in such an indirect way.

“The mage...tried to bind me to his wife. He made me pretend to be her. But she was...is dead.” she said, her voice surprisingly calm, when usually the thought of her previous owner sent her into a state of panic. “I escaped late at night, dressed in whatever I could, anything that would hide my face.”

“That explains the gloves.” Dorian said, looking at her. She glanced at her hands with gloves of varying off-white colours and nodded.

“Yes. It was very dark.” she said. She turned her attention back to her book. “Still, I saw many parties.”

“Ah. You liked the Tevinter parties, did you?” Dorian rolled his eyes at the idea, picking a book off the shelf and dusting it off..

“Most of it I disliked. So many nasty thoughts mixed with kind words. Liars, cheats, hatred posing as love...But I enjoy pretty things. Like dresses, and food arrangements. I like dancing too.” she said.

“Ah yes, pretty things. It's good luck for you that I left and took all that prettiness with me.” Dorian said, causing Lacrima to look up at him with wide eyes and a faint blush.

“Oh. Oh, yes, you are very beautiful. You dress very nicely too. ” Dorian was about to open his mouth to make a smart remark when Lacrima heard something and stood up. She followed the sound of a voice to a railing, ignoring Dorian's footsteps behind her.

She peered over, seeing the bald elf talking to someone else, she couldn't be sure who as they were too close to the wall to be seen from her viewpoint. She deduced from his thoughts that it was the Inquisitor.

“There is nothing that can be done. Her tattoos prevent us from doing anything.” the bald elf said in exasperation. Lacrima's heart thudded loudly in her chest and her eyes widened. She had come so far for nothing. It was over.

 


	2. The Demon Menace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacrima struggles to gain allies when everything she does is under scrutiny.

Lacrima crumbled to the ground, turning her back to the railing, to the elf. Dorian looked down at her for a second before offering her a hand. She looked at it, then back up at the mage.

“The dust that lovely outfit must be collecting on that floor...” Dorian coaxed. She finally reached out and let him pull her up, but immediately let go and curling her arms inwards on herself.

“The cell is alright. The cell is safe. Even if I must stay in a cell, I must stay _here_.” Lacrima said, her voice wavering. Dorian's brows furrowed slightly.

“Now, now. No need to get worked up...” he said. She took a deep breath. She was causing a scene. She couldn't do that in her position. Lacrima picked up the book she had been reading.

“Dorian Pavus...Thank you for showing me this place. It really is wonderful. May I take this back to my cell?” she asked, regaining her calm demeanour as she gestured to the book in her hands. He relaxed slightly when he realized he wasn't going to have to deal with a distressed demon.

“That is what libraries are for: borrowing books.” he said.

“Thank you.” she said, relaxing a bit herself. She felt safer in her cell, away from the people who were afraid of her. “May I come back later and read another book?” she said.

“I don't see why not.” Dorian said. He seemed to like her, even if it was warily. She was glad. She could use all the friends she could get in her position, and she sensed he was close to the Inquisitor.

He escorted her back to her cell and left her to read her book by the dim lighting, most of it coming from her glowing eyes and tattoos.

She had no idea how much time had passed until she heard the door open and very light footsteps enter her cell. She glanced up at the large-hatted spirit who had come to visit and smiled, setting her book down.

“I brought food.” Cole said, holding up a bowl of mush. Her smile grew.

“Thank you..but you know I don't really need it, right?” she said.

“You need sleep. I thought you might need food.” Cole approached and set the bowl next to her.

“It will help, though if the food could be used better elsewhere...” Her words were followed by silence between the two spirits, both reading the other.

“You said I was your brother.” Cole said.

“Yes. Would you like to be my brother? ” Lacrima asked with a shy smile. “I really could use an ally in here. You're probably one of the few people here who think of me as more than a monster.”

“You aren't a monster. You're Lacrima. A spirit like me. My...sister.” Cole said. Lacrima met his eyes and smiled at him in relief.

“Yes. Thank you, Brother.” she said. Without another word, he was gone, and she was left to sift through whatever was in the slush they gave her to eat.

 

She had no idea when she fell asleep that night, but she woke up the next morning with her face pressed against the wall, dirt and dust filling her nostrils and making them itch. She tried to pull away and found she couldn't. Reaching up, she discovered her horn had dug itself into a crevice in between the stone. She sighed softly.

The bed was much smaller than she was used to, and the sheets did not wrap around her tightly. She moved a lot in her sleep, but with such a tiny bed it seemed this habit had gotten her stuck.

“Um...Help please...” she called out. No-one answered, or seemed to care. “Please help! I am stuck!” she called out softly. A guard appeared at her cell bars.

“What're you doing in there?!” he barked. “Get away from that wall!”

“I-I'm stuck...” She told him. Her back was to him and he therefore had no idea what she was doing. He thought of the worst. He had heard tales of the trickery of demons. He scurried off to get someone and Lacrima was left alone, stuck in a wall.

She heard faint voices echo down the corridors first.

“What do you suppose she's doing?”

“I don't know! She looked like she could be conjuring something or...something. I think this may be a trap.”

“Well if it is, then we'll know for certain her intentions.” She recognized the voice as the Inquisitor.

Her cell door opened and heavy footsteps came up behind her.

“I got stuck in the wall. Please help.” she whimpered. Someone leaned over her, examining her. She couldn't see who it was due to her awkward angle, but she knew he was someone new. He smelled like dirt and ale. He let out a deep, low laugh.

“No, she's actually stuck in a wall.” he said, sounding amused. With a well-angled tug to her horn, freed her. The force it took sent her sprawling backwards into her saviours chest.

“You alright?” he asked. She straightened herself out, brushing the dust off her horn, and turned to look at him. He was a massive Qunari with a pair of horns probably bigger than a Druffalo's.

“Yes. Thank you.” she said.

“If I said I haven't gotten stuck like that before I'd be lying.” he chuckled. He turned to the entrance of her cell. “All clear, Boss.”

“If she's such a big powerful demon, why didn't she break herself out?” the guard asked. Lacrima leaned to look at him from around the giant Qunari wall she was behind.

“I didn't want to break the wall any more than it was already broken.” She looked at the unimpressed Inquisitor. “I wasn't trying to break out after I tried so hard to stay here. I want to be helpful to you.” she said. The Qunari returned to his 'boss', and they were about to shut the gates when the Inquisitor murmured something to the Qunari that made him sigh. Then the Inquisitor left the hulking mass with her. He turned to her.

“So, guess I'll be watching you today. Name's Iron Bull.” he said. She hesitated, looking at him in curiosity before remembering the manners she had been taught and holding out a hand. He looked at her dainty, gloved hand in mild amusement before clasping his hand in hers and giving it a good shake that rippled through her entire body.

“They call me Lacrima.” she said. “I'm sorry for burdening you all like this.”

“Just don't do anything weird and we'll be fine.” he said.

“I am afraid I'm not particularly ordinary.” she said.

“Fair Point.” he said, looking at her. “You want to go for a walk or something?” he asked. She tilted her head and smiled. She felt a little like a mabari, being caged only to be taken out on walks every so often.

“Yes. Perhaps I can see more of Skyhold.” she said softly.

He brought her up to the wall-walk and she looked out at the mountains before her with a pleased smile curling on her lips. Without a word, she climbed on top of the parapet and sat down on it. Iron Bull leaned on the parapet beside her, folding his arms and watching her carefully.

“I'm not going to jump.” she said. “I have no reason to.” Iron Bull said nothing, although she could tell he didn't like the fact that she had listened to his thoughts. He seemed less kind than Dorian had been.

She thought about Dorian, and the day before. He was quite handsome, and he knew about Tevinter, which was one of the only places she was familiar with now. He seemed to be open to the idea of her being a good presence in the fortress, which was good. She thought about perhaps seeing him again. Maybe he could recommend a few good books for her.

She looked out at the scenery and let the wind rush through the hair that wasn't thrown up in the tight bun that was getting messier by the day. She would have to tidy herself up.

“Is there a mirror somewhere I could use?” she asked. Iron Bull pushed himself off the wall.

“I'm sure we can find one.” he grunted. His indifference towards her was slightly off-putting. He wasn't thinking about why he disliked or how he could possibly like her, how she could gain his favour. He wasn't thinking about her at all. He was merely doing his job, guarding her.

She followed him through Skyhold, looking at the greenery and people that lived in the fortress. It was a beautiful place in a beautiful location, much more different than the lush Tevinter house she had lived in before. She was fond of the rustic charm of the place.

An arrow suddenly flew from the sky and hit the ground at Lacrima's feet. She looked up in surprise to see a blonde elf glaring at her from a window. Iron Bull shifted slightly beside the demon, ready for some sort of conflict, but instead the elf disappeared back into her room.

“So that was Sera...” Iron Bull said casually.

“She doesn't like me...” Lacrima said.

“Yeah, I'm guessing. Hard to tell with her, though.”

Nerves started to creep up on Lacrima. She was hated more adamantly than she had thought. She clutched her hands together tightly under her cape. What if Skyhold was less safe than she thought. If HE found her here, would she be protected?

“Dorian probably has a mirror.” Iron Bull said in a stroke of genius, and without another word, Lacrima was following Iron Bull to the library.

 


End file.
